8/13/2015

I used to work here. The only reason I do not, is because I took another job offer out of convenience.

When I came back, I remembered why this place is so good. The employees are always very laid back and chill despite how fast they're working, and they'll even strike up a conversation just to see how you've doing (they even remembered me). It was busy at the time I went, but the line is fast moving and I only waited 10-15 minutes for my order.

The food is perfect. I ordered the Chorizo Burrito and the Mac Diddy (I love places that have Big Mac variations that aren't McDonalds). You really start to realize why this place is so genius. All the ingredients are quick to prepare and go so well together. I asked my burger to be medium-rare and it was spot on. It wasn't more like medium which is still good I would eat it anyway. It was a definite medium-rare, no more, no less. They even put an egg and bacon on my burger which was a bonus. I didn't know if they did it just cause they thought I was cool.

The prices could be a little lower. $7.00 burgers and burritos and $3.00 tacos. I'll come back here whenever I'm in the area.

8/9/2015

Worst "delivery" experience ever. After 3 hours of waiting, 3 phone calls and no fewer than 4 lies from staff at this restaurant, my order is a no show.

I was initially told my order was out for delivery despite being an hour late, then the second phone call revealed that somehow my order had been cancelled, then magically by the third phone call my order had been out for delivery all along. Except, not.

No taco is worth this headache. Chipotle it is from here on out. Terrible customer service. Boo hiss.

Update: The restaurant called me after seeing this review to apologize and offered up a free meal. Nice gesture, but still not likely to order again given the hassle of last night. Pro tip: go in person, don't order delivery.

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  Doesn't my food look yummy? Oh wait, there is none. #deliveryburn

  Doesn't my food look yummy? Oh wait, there is none. #deliveryburn

8/9/2015

This was a bit of a disappointment. We had high expectations given the food network appearances. That being said, the food was served very quickly.

Each taco was good on its own, however the sauces were very heavy handed. Each taco tasted like the next and were a bit too sweet. The Hawaiian pork, spicy beef short ribs, and pork belly tacos were indistinguishable after the sauce. The foie and fries were nice and sweet and a great introduction to those who have never tried foie gras before, however the fries were not the best pairing. We would have preferred fries by themselves and the foie with a more traditional/acidic pairing.

Overall a decent showing, but not up to the hype.

8/7/2015

I love this place. Talk about quality, hole in the wall, and DELICIOUS!!! Be ready to leave smelling like deliciousness because the kitchen is open :)

Poke taco - always delicious. I love how crispy the taco is too. Great texture contrast.
spicy Beef - Tasty but you have to add the spicy sauce from the table on it
Banh Mi Whitefish - YUM!!! Great big chunk of fish, really well cooked.
Pork Banh Mi burrito - this thing is HUGE!!!! and it is YUMMMMM

Definitely worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood.

7/28/2015

I've been here twice before and enjoyed (most) everything I sampled.

First off, the people working here are very friendly and helpful. Both times I've asked for suggestions, the cashiers gave their honest favorites and recommendations and it was all great!

Raw Ahi Tuna Taco - Disappointingly tiny, but it's one of my favorites. All the components work well together and it tastes very fresh.
Samurai Taco - very unique tasting and delicious
Mahi Taco - tasted pretty good, not as good as the samurai, though.
Fish & Chips - tasted pretty good, but can't help but feel that the tartar sauce is a bit weak.
Softshell crab po boy - I wanted to like this, but the bread was very hard/dry and it was very messy to eat.  The crab was pretty good though. I was very tempted to just eat it by itself.
Foie Dog - May have been a bit too rich for my liking. I personally prefer Hot Doug's/Hot G Dog's version better.

Overall, a pretty good place to eat. Food isn't too pricey and tastes pretty good.

8/1/2015

It's poppin but there actually is enough seating due to the decent turnover. The menu is huge, and I'd heard it was a seafood place but there are tons of other options, although no chicken I don't think. There's beef and lamb, as well as veggie. They have various fry topping options, too. The drink options are lacking--fountain soda and coffee pretty much, although it's byob, so that pretty makes the world your oyster if you think ahead, which we didn't because we came after exercising and coming here at all was a game time decision. The prices are okay, the meat is nicer than in a $1 or $2 taco, and I only needed a few tacos.

I tried two of the short rib and the lamb tacos, and shared kimchi fries. The fries were great. I liked one of the short rib tacos a lot more than the other, I think it was the original one I didn't live, and the Japanese short rib I quite liked. The lamb was obviously good, it's not a taco but a tiny gyro with two strips of lamb. My friend really enjoyed the fish tacos, and the impressive thing is that you don't just order "fish tacos," they have like 8 different kinds with different fish combos and fixins.

There's actually a decent amount of actual bike rack bike parking nearby on Belmont which is nice, although there are plenty of street signs, too.

6/30/2015

This place is excellent. I always get the Zeus burger which is a burger topped with gyros, a fried egg and tzatziki sauce - incredible!

Prices are affordable, place is clean and the people are nice. Definitely check this restaurant out. I'm excited to go back and try out other menu items.

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  Zeus burger

  Zeus burger

6/6/2015

If you want healthy this is definitely not the place for you. Well, I guess there are salad options but the rest of the unique food items in the menu really does overpower that salad section. I debated giving this place between 3 or 4 but I decided I will give it a 4 because there were specific dishes that I really liked where I would come back just to eat them again.

I ordered:
Truffle fries (Recommend-loved it!)
Soft Shell Crab Po' boy (Disappointment. This was actually the main dish I came here to eat because I really wanted s.s.crab in a sandwich but the crab was too small for the size of the bread and the breading was too much.)
Blue Crab Taco (Recommend-awesome!)
Grill Mahi Taco (good portion!)
Japanese short rib taco & Hawaiian Pork (the meats were flavorful but the portions were small).
Spicy Pork Banh Mi Burrito (I love the idea of a vietnamese sandwich concept wrapped in tortilla. The burrito was definitely bursting with flavors of many different ingredients. The size portion was large as well. I recommend this one!)

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  Blue crab taco

  Blue crab taco

7/23/2015 Updated review

Wazzzuuuppp Honkey!!!! One of the best sandwiches I have  ever had The Honkey served as a burrito filled with Fried Pork belly, Fries, Cabbage, Pickle, Special Sauce* and BBQ Sauce the layers of flavors are just outstanding. It's big enough to split but when it taste so good and cost only $5.99 why would ya. We also had the Pork Belly Po' Boy Fried Pork belly, Lettuce, Pickle, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Special Sauce* and Maple Syrup on french bread. I have to say The Honkey had it beat (plus it's fun to say honkey) but the Po' Boy tasted pretty damn good also. Third sandwich we had was the Gyro Burrito also good but overshadowed by the previous 2 sandwiches we had. Now sit yourself down!!!! Go ahead sit yourself down. Foie Gras fries, crispy awesome fries with 3 big slices of seared foie on top oh my god. I kept looking over my shoulder wondering if somehow this was my last meal and the grim reaper was gonna take me out. Seriously they are that good, last meal worthy and for 10 bucks a steal. Truffles fries $2.99 a deal and also awesome.

First time I went I liked but did not love B&L'a now its love,lust and respect all rolled up in a tidy little burrito named The Honkey.

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  Pork Belly Po' Boy. Crispy succulent pork served with all the right fixings.

  Pork Belly Po' Boy. Crispy succulent pork served with all the right fixings.
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  Foie Gras Fries!! 3 big not little slices of foie served over super crispy fries.

  Foie Gras Fries!! 3 big not little slices of foie served over super crispy fries.

5/12/2015

I think what makes Big & Littles so good is they make very basic food into great dishes.  Simple things like a shrimp taco or a po-boy that will make you want to come back and back again.  Add in some dope customer service and it's easy to see why this is a favorite by so many.

My most recent experience I tried the shrimp tacos.  When I first got them, it didn't look like much but they were delicious.  Im not sure what seasoning or sauce they put on them but it was excellent.   The guy next to me was eating a soft shell crab po-boy that looked amazing.  Next time, Kevin.  Next time.

What I didn't know was this place was BYOB.  Or at least they don't mind you bringing in outside liquor (which I guess that makes it BYOB).  Saw a few people in there drinking beer and wine with their meals.  Any place that's BYOB is great in my book.

8/8/2015

Delicious Tacos place on Belmont avenue. I was there one evening for a light diner, and ordered several of their Tacos, all were delicious. I don't remember the names of the ones I ordered, but I took both fish and meat tacos, every single of these were very good, so you can trust this place and order whatever you want, I am sure it will not disappoint.

5/23/2015

Big & Littles!! Great tacos. Great sound track. Nothing better than housing some tacos while "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" plays in the background.

They have a great selection of seafood and meat tacos. I had the grilled shrimp, Big & Littles, al pastor and the Japanese short rib. Each taco had their own individual flavor and crunch. The grilled shrimp was my fave - limey and perfectly cooked. Japanese short rib was a little on the sweeter side but the tableside hot sauce helped balance it out a bit.

Let's talk about that hot sauce for a minute. I want to swim in it. Mixed it with ketchup for my fries. Delicious.

Service was fast and friendly. I got there within minutes of opening and there was a line out the door. Can't blame em!!

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  TACOS TACOS TACOS

  TACOS TACOS TACOS

5/6/2015

I love Big & Littles.

I love how genuinely friendly everyone here is. I love how their long lines move quickly. I love how fast the food comes out of the kitchen.

And I of course love everything that I've tried on their menu. I'm a big fan of their burgers, Ahi Tuna Taco, and their soft shell crab po'boy. Sure, there isn't much that's healthy on their menu, but itThe only disappointment is that the fish and chips here is a much smaller and less impressive dish than at the Orleans location.

If you haven't gone here, you should.

8/13/2015

This place is great, but there is room for improvement.  The burgers are top notch.  Always add some Merks cheddar.  The tacos, as good as they are, are small and usually leave something to be desired.  I've had mixed experiences with the fries.  Sometimes underseasoned, sometimes over.  Sometimes hot and crispy, sometimes soggy.  My biggest complaints though is the wait time.  This is not a quick meal, as you might expect from counter service.  The line is usually out the door, which is fine, but it takes forever for them to make your meal.  I think I waited 30 minutes during an off time when we were the only ones in line to order.  If we weren't anxious because we were missing the beginning of our movie, I would have had a better experience.  You can see them cooking and clearly no sense of urgency.  So just know what you are getting yourself into.  Its BYOB so make sure to bring a 6 pack while you wait, then its no big deal.  Prices are good for the quality, especially the burger which did I mention is amazing.

7/20/2015

Overall: Great spot for a quality bite to eat. Try all of the different tacos and small goodies. Especially the fish!

The good: All of the food was delicious. The 3 fish tacos I got (Ahi Tuna, Soft Shell, Mahi) were delicious and great. TONS of different options. BYOB. They play great music too.

The bad: The line was long and took forever, and then waiting for the food took forever as well. Had to wait 30-40 minutes for a walk-up menu kind of place. Pretty expensive for the amount of food you get, even if it is delicious. Place was hot.

Atmosphere: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Food: 8/10

7/18/2015

But biased because I frequented this place ever since they opened on Orleans.  I really enjoyed the fish and chips and the Orleans location serves bigger portions, but this new site has smaller which is great since I can get a sample of everything.

There is street parking and the line inside can take quite long during peak hours.  I always order the fish and chips with truffle fries. Soooo delicious and super greasyful, just the way I like it. I started ordering the ahi poke taco which is basically American sashimi. I am glad that they have this location because it is always fun to have friends come and BYOB.

7/16/2015

Delisioso! Big & littles is super famous now thanks to Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and for good reason. They have an interesting variety of food including non-traditional tacos, burgers, and po-boys. Hey also have awesome fries including foie gras fries, kimchi fries, and truffle fries. I had the samurai taco, the grilled shrimp taco, and kimchi fries. The food was fantastic.

Please note, this is not a spot for large groups. It's really a hole in the wall with a handful of tables inside and the same on the patio. If you go during lunch time on a weekend be prepared for a little bit of a wait because everything is made to order so it's hot and delicious. It's super casual, but I wouldn't call it a dive. I would definitely say that it's worth the trip.

5/15/2015

Pretty good po'boys but a tweak or two would help them live up to the hype.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the food, but not enough to wait 45 minutes or so from the order line to table side.

The pork belly po'boy would be improved with a different sauce and better bread but adding hot sauce helped. The pork was fried properly though, not too chewy or hard so that was nice. The soft shell crab po'boy was good but the crab to bread ratio was lacking for $13. I'd prefer the crab be coated in cornmeal as well.

The long wait and limited dining room makes this a 3.5 star affair.

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  Soft shell crab po'boy

  Soft shell crab po'boy
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  Pork belly po'boy, as it you needed another pic.

  Pork belly po'boy, as it you needed another pic.

7/31/2015

The tacos here at this restaurant are so delicious. If you like raw fish, do not miss out on the Ahi Tuna Poke taco. Every bite was extraordinary and I was so bummed when I was finished it.

I'm knocking off a star though because I had the food because I placed an order for two tacos, one Tuna poke and one Mango Chutney and they didn't give me a mango one, in fact I have no idea what it was. Tasted fine but not what I ordered.

Overall awesome place though. Definitely recommend.

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  Ahi tuna poke taco, delicious!

  Ahi tuna poke taco, delicious!

7/20/2015

Experience: 5/5
Came here on a Sunday afternoon. This place was hoppin'. Line out the door and around the corner. They had outdoor seating, but it was all taken. We were lucky to find a table inside. It isn't the quietest or coziest place. Expect a lot of hustle and bustle. Pretty extensive list of menu items. It takes a while once you place your order, but for the price, you get good food for what you pay for.

Food: 5/5
They had a special of Kimchi French Fries (see photo). They were realllly good. I've had a million different types of fries, but these were really unique and definitely worth trying. We ordered the Soft-Shell Crab Po'Boy (see photo) and the Banh Mi Po'Boy (see photo). Both were really good. The crab was more bread than crab, but the crab that was there was good. Overall, both were good, but it was the Kimchi fries that made the meal.

Service: 4/5
Great customer service. Long line, but worth the wait.

Price: $
Good cookin' for a good price.

Overall: 5/5
This place had great reviews. I would recommend the Po'Boys, but they have such a long list of tacos, I think those will be my next choice. Try to avoid dinner time if you are in a huge rush.

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  Banh Mi Po'Boy

  Banh Mi Po'Boy
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  Soft-Shell Crab Po'Boy (if you compare to other people's photos, I think I happened to get a baby crap)

  Soft-Shell Crab Po'Boy (if you compare to other people's photos, I think I happened to get a baby crap)
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  Kimchi Fries

  Kimchi Fries

7/7/2015

Very good lunch spot, especially when you get to sit outside on a nice, sunny day. The menu is very reasonable when it comes to pricing. Portions are a little inconsistent with tacos, for example, beef short rib came with next to nothing in it whereas the raw ahi tuna taco was stacked!

A lot of really interesting flavors going on with these dishes. I really want to come back to try out the softshell crab po'boy. Truffle fries are a must!

Staff is always friendly, very nice group of people.

4/11/2015

The friers here sure get a workout!

-Softshell crab po boy was just okay.
-The fish in the samurai taco was overfried.
-Burger was great, definitely the winner.
-Foie dog (didn't have any) but my husband said it was just alright.

Overall pretty mediocre fried food.

Line was out the door this afternoon at 2:30 for lunch. Something tells me this place is the new Hot Dougs.

6/22/2015

"Foodie on foot" Rosa J. is DOWN!!!  I had a pleasant experience at the N. Orleans location last time.  Hence, I purchased another Groupon and intended to try out the Belmont location with Daddy J.

However, the ventilation problem inside the restaurant gave me an extremely nauseous feeling.  Ya'll, I'm laying on my bed writing this review so that I can fulfill my responsibility as a Yelp elite.  

First and foremost, we are going to discuss on how the food tasted.  Overall, I wasn't, at all, impressed.  Here was the food that we ordered:

1) Samurai Taco: the flavor of the fish was ultra bland.  The spiciness from the jalapeño and the special sauce were extremely off-balance.  I thought it was an epic failure.
2) Mahi Taco: this was much more palatable than the Samurai taco.  Nevertheless, it was really sweet, so sweet that the fish was lost in translation.  
3) Fried Shrimp Taco: They did a pretty decent job on fried seafood, like the white fish po'boy I had last time.  Well, I wouldn't consider this dish as amazing though, in my foodie opinion.  
4) Spicy Pork Taco: I think the God of sweet has blindsided my tastebuds.  The entire dish was a plain hot mess.  
5) Al Pastor Taco: I give them some credit for taking on the challenge of fusion between Hawaiian and Mexican.  But the hot and sweet sensation did not do it for me.  
6) Japanese Beef Short Rib Taco: "the Big & little" duo must have some kind of affair with Mrs. Sweet.  I guess I need to stay of their business because Mrs. Sweet is really something else.  
7) Kimchi Fries: If you like layers and layers of "sweet," then this dish is really for you...

Thank you for the Groupon I wisely purchased.  All the food we ordered above was under $20.  I have a difficult time wrapping my head around why this place has received so many accolades.  From now on, I will stick with their po'boys and sandwiches.

• 

  Fried shrimp taco

  Fried shrimp taco
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  Samurai taco

  Samurai taco
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  Samurai taco

  Samurai taco
• See all photos from Rosa J. for Big & Little's Restaurant

7/28/2015

"My, what an adorable little fried crab they just served me! It's almost too cute to eat... wait.. what am I thinking?!?..." ::NOM NOM NOM NOM:: I laughed maniacally as I pulled apart the adorable little crab, eating its adorable little claws first until I couldn't contain myself and dove right in. It was probably as delicious as it was pleasing to look at. The outside was perfectly crispy and had the most delicious batter. It was sandwiched between two fluffy buns and paired with aioli and veggies. We also ordered the beer battered burger (my first reaction being "holy sh*t, this chef is an evil genius") and the fries with the fried egg on top. The burger had the same delicious battered crust and most definitely did not disappoint. Overall, it was awesome. The food was fast, cheap, and delicious. Couldn't ask for anything more

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  Battered and fried burger.. because MURICA!

  Battered and fried burger.. because MURICA!
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  Soft shell crab po'boy, fries special, and fried burger

  Soft shell crab po'boy, fries special, and fried burger
• 
• See all photos from Wai C. for Big & Little's Restaurant

7/6/2015

My oh my... First time but definitely NOT the last... DDD rated YES!!! Today's special Kimchi Fish Sandwich. Amazing... Phil's Fries OMG!!! Truffle fries with a fried egg... Where have you been ALL my life?????
Many more things to try.. Summer of 2015 is gonna be a good!!!

7/30/2015

I loved it.  The people who work there were so nice and friendly.  I had the soft-shell crab po boy and, oh man, was that delicious.  Supposedly they are known for their raw ahi tuna taco but I can't imagine not ordering this po boy when I go back.  The heat in the sauce was just enough; it was perfect.  My friend had a burger and said it was great.  We shared the fries and agreed they were some of the best fries we'd ever had.  Go to this place!!!!

6/1/2015

I can't believe I haven't put in a review for Big & Little's yet!  If you live in Lakeview, this is a place you seriously need to go to if you have a craving for tacos.  I'm a big fan of the beef rib tacos, I'm not a big seafood person but I know the seafood ones are popular as well.  The burgers are OK, I would stick with the tacos or burritos.  The amount of food that you get for the $ investment is a great deal for the quality ingredients and flavors they put into their food.  If you come around dinnertime, expect to wait a bit, but the line moves fast.  

When you walk into the restaurant, you order right at the counter and they will call your name when your food is ready.  They also have TVs with different sports games on.  You have the option to sit inside, outside (they have tables set up), or take it to-go.  To be honest I was a little bit disappointed with the fries, I ordered the cajun fries and they came out cold, but they were tasty and cheap.

7/25/2015

I keep coming back to this place.

Despite the long line to order, average of 20 minutes every time I've been there, the gourmet "fast-food" is deeply satisfying.

I get the feeling that the owner recruits student chefs from the Le Cordon Bleu school next door because half the menu is avant-garde, and it works!

Every-time I'm there:
Japanese Short Rib Taco
Bahn Mi White Fish Taco (the pickled onions... the pickled onions!)
Kimchi Fries (about a 7/10 compared to Del Seoul's 9/10)

Next-time I'm there:
I want to try the Softshell crab Po Boy and the Foie Gras fries.

2/26/2015

Never heard of a Softshell Crab Po'boy til today. A definite must try. Great flavor in the crab and the special sauce adds a nice slightly spicy touch.

The food took a while to cook, but it was fried to order. Maybe 15 mins since ordering. Music was a bit too loud that we had to scream at each other across the table. Some of tables were set up too close to each other that people were bumping elbows or had to get up from their seats to let others in and out from all around them.

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  Softshell Crab Po'boy, Pork Belly Po'boy and fries with Merks Chedddar

  Softshell Crab Po'boy, Pork Belly Po'boy and fries with Merks Chedddar

8/11/2015

I really enjoyed this place. Went here with my husband over the weekend. I got the fish and chips, which was basic but very delicious! The fish was cooked perfectly. My husband had some tacos (carnitas and some others) and a hamburger with bacon that he thoroughly enjoyed. We'll definitely be back!  I'm looking forward to trying something more adventurous during my next visit.

3/16/2015

Went here to grab a snack around 3 pm on a Saturday. All the tables were full, but luckily my friends and I managed to swoop a table pretty quickly. I ordered the samurai taco and the foie gras hot dog. The samurai taco was on point - fish was fresh and the sauce was delish. The tacos are on the smaller side (my friends' tacos were small, too) but it was perfect for me since I only wanted a snack. The foie gras hot dog is money - they don't skimp on the foie gras.

It's a really fun, laid back environment. The staff is super friendly, which gives it even more of a home-y environment. The place is BYOB, so don't forget to bring some dranks to enjoy with your food!

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  Samurai taco and foie gras hot dog

  Samurai taco and foie gras hot dog

8/2/2015

Saw this place on TV once upon a time and somehow remembered to visit when on our way to a Cubs game one night.  We ordered a bunch of different items:

Ahi Tuna - Perfect amount of spice, crunch, and fresh tuna flavor.
Shrimp Banh Mi - Shrimp cooked perfectly, but a little too much bread.
Kimchi Fries - Good spice and tang, fries not really soggy despite everything on top of them.
Spicy Beef Short Rib Taco - Spiciest item I ordered - delicious!
Hawaiian Pork Taco - tons of flavor, queso fresco fit nicely in this one.
Samurai Seafood Taco - great combination of fried whitefish, lime, sesame seeds, jalepenos, and sweet sauce.  Heartiest of the tacos I tried.

Great, unique flavors at Big & Little's - interesting combinations and sauces you probably won't find anywhere else.  I would go here all the time if I lived in the area.

5/10/2015

It took us 45 mins to wait in line, order, and get our food. They need to be a bit more organized. They need two lines one for ordering and one for phone orders. This poor guy behind us had to wait a ridiculously long time to pick up his pre ordered food.
The food:
1-shrimp po'boy I hear it was super tasty. $6.95
1-shrimp bahn mi. It was super yummy! The special sauce was finger lickin' good. The sandwich was filled with so much yummy goodness I could barely bite into the whole thing. All the flavors went really well. I'd order this one again. $6.95
1-Mexican short rib taco. The meat is soooo tender!! It basically melted in your mouth. This taco was lacking in the flavor department. It needed a lil kick or something to put it over the edge. I wouldn't order this one again. $2.65
1-Japanese short rib taco. Now this was super flavorful, slightly salty, but definitely the winner of the two tacos. I would probably go just for this one. $2.65
1-Cajun fry. The flavor was subtle. They were good, but they were basically the end of the bag small prices that were overly fried. They were not worth the extra money. I probably wouldn't order these again. $2.35

The boy and I each had our own shrimp sandwiches and split everything else. We left  feeling satisfied and not overly stuffed. Always a good way to leave an establishment in my opinion. The tacos were on the smaller side, but we're good. If probably come back again if I had another groupon like last night. Our total came out to $1.69 since we had the groupon. Can't really complain about that! If you're in the area its worth checking out.

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  Shrimp po'boy, shrimp bahn mi, Mexican short rib taco & Japanese short rib taco with an unseen side of Cajun fries

  Shrimp po'boy, shrimp bahn mi, Mexican short rib taco & Japanese short rib taco with an unseen side of Cajun fries

7/18/2015

I had really high expectations for this place because I heard my roommate and friends rave about it. The service was nice, we didn't have to wait in line too long, and the food came out relatively quickly. But I wasn't very impressed with the food. The tacos were pretty good, not amazing. I didn't like the kimchi fries with the sweet sauce. I told my roommate about all this later and she said my mistake was not ordering the foie gras fries and soft shell crab po-boy.

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  Tacos

  Tacos
• 

  Kimchi fries

  Kimchi fries

5/11/2015

I honestly don't understand the hype. We waited in line for over an hour to experience mediocre tacos. With that said, I'm not sure one should have such high expectations for a place that a guy with spiky, bleached hair and an affinity for flame shirts endorses.

The guy that seemed to be running the Lakeview location was extremely nice though, so I couldn't help but feel happy for his success. It's pretty impressive what a spot on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives can do for a restaurant's reputation. We fell for the buzz. You live and you learn.

2/16/2015

We ordered the soft shell crab po' boy and the pork belly po'boy with truffle fries. Both sandwiches were pretty tasty, but I like the soft shell crab the most. The special sauce was delicious. I think any sandwich with that sauce will taste good. I can't wait to come back to Chicago and try the tacos and burgers. I wonder what is the next specials when I come to visit. They had foie dog and kimchi fries this time.

When finding the restaurant, look for a yellow mural on the side of the building. You can't miss it.

7/20/2015

This is a great Groupon find for me!! The place is packed with great food.
I bought a group in few months back and visited sometime last week. We ordered few tacos and everything was absolutely delicious. Oh and I would highly recommend a side of truffle fries- yum yum ;)
Definitely going back sometime soon :)

12/23/2014

What the heck just happened in my mouth.!?!?! Seriously this place is amazing.  Ordered the kimchee fries and the al pastor burger.  The fries were pretty salty but defiantly worth all the sodium!!.  Usually kimchee is salty so can't blame em.  There was some cheese, Asian seasonings and a bunch of different sauces and of course topped with kimchee.  -damn legit!

The burger which the girl in the front recommended was really good too...fried pork belly, American Swiss, jalapeños, pineapple and chili aioli.  Of course I asked for extra jalapeños, cooked medium and it was perfect!! They also have different sauces on the table which are all great!  

Think I found my new go to spot. Definitely need to try the tacos!  Chill atmosphere, nice people and service! Keep up the good work!

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  Kimchee fries and al pastor burger... Fml so good!!!!

  Kimchee fries and al pastor burger... Fml so good!!!!

1/6/2015

Cheap and delicious! We first saw this on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and made it a point to visit on a recent trip to Chicago.

The menu is huge, which made it difficult to decide on the things worthy of filling our stomachs. We managed to settle on 3:
1. Pork belly po' boy - stuffed with abundant pork belly
2. Soft shell crab po' boy - smaller, but tasty with the spicy mayo
3. Foie gras fries - the most decadent fries I've ever had. Huge amount of foie gras for $10, but became overwhelmingly rich after a few bites.

The two of us were stuffed with $27 worth of food. I only wish we had more room to try everything else on the menu.

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  Pork belly po boy

  Pork belly po boy
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  Soft shell crab po boy

  Soft shell crab po boy
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  Foie gras fries

  Foie gras fries

8/9/2015

Can't say enough about this place. I've had almost everything on the menu and it's all good. If I had to pick though I would say get the tacos. You say they have a lot of tacos though so what should you get? All of them. At those price points you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to try them all.

5/11/2015

Big and Littles is easily one of my favorite taco places in the city, and there are a lot to choose from! The ingredients are always extremely fresh and each one brings its own unique flavors. They do have two locations and for some unknown reason, the Belmont location (which in my opinion is the better of the two) is pretty significantly cheaper. The line is always long and the wait is pretty crazy too. Sometimes it gets to the point where it may as well be a sit down restaurant which is annoying when you just want fast food. A side note, they have groupons for both locations all the time so keep a look out!

My favorites are the ahi tuna taco (raw), shrimp, and any of the pulled pork ones are delicious (there is one with mango that I love. If you want something other than a taco than go for their famous soft shell crab po'boy, it's unreal. The small one is pretty big. Also, the fries are soooo good- every time I go I say I can't get them and every time I go I accidentally get them. The truffle are my favorite and if I'm feeling it I get the Phil's fries which is just the truffle fries with a fried egg on top.

6/18/2015

Came here for the first time during lunch today after the Blackhawks parade(Wooooooooooh!) and tried a Double Al Pastor Burger(pork belly, 2 natural all beef patties on swiss, & a pineapple slice). They should change the name to F'N GREAT BURGER! Also had the soft shell crab po' boy, ahi tuna poke taco & reg fries(pass on all 3). We actually ordered truffle fries but noticed we received regular when we got home(lame). Will definitely be back to try the Pork Belly Po' Boy & other delicious burgers.

11/21/2014

Who doesn't love a place with quality tacos for ~$2.95/each?!

When I came with a friend, I ordered 3 tacos and truffle fries:
1) BIG & Little's (fried white fish) $2.65
2) Spicy Beef Short Rib $2.65
3) Raw Ahi Tuna $4.95
4) Truffle Fries $2.25

If I must compare... I'd say this place beats Del Seoul. BIG & little's offers a fusion of southern cooking, Korean flavors and Mexican tacos done right. At other fusion taco joints I sometimes feel like they're overpriced and only worth trying once.

However at BIG & little's, there are so many things on the menu that you KNOW you will want to come back and try them all, happily and willingly. Not just for the novelty, but for quality food, if you know what I mean. This place is solid.

The dining space is fairly small but on a Friday night for an early-ish dinner (7pm) a party of two was able to grab a table in five minutes. The turn around is pretty quick.

I would love to try their deep fried soft shell crab taco, their foie gras dog (brings to mind Hot Doug's) and kimchi fries... The latter two which are specials and won't be on the menu all the time.

Three tacos and fries to share was the perfect amount. My fave of the three was the raw ahi tuna because of its simplicity. The fried white fish not so much because it was a jumble of too many things- breading lettuce, sauce and not so much tasting the fish.

The spicy short rib was average, but next time I come I will stick to tacos with seafood (crab and poke tacos) as those seem to be their specialty. I like the hustle of the staff here and they are all very friendly. It's a casual place to grab unique po' boys, dawgs, tacos and burgers.

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  3 tacos and a side of truffle fries

  3 tacos and a side of truffle fries

6/26/2015

This was a place me and my friend were trying to get to try for a long time. When we went at night we weren't disappointed. The menu is so inexpensive and so tasty. Their menu is different from most fast food places we've been to because they have different types of seafood fried tacos, kimchi is also on the menu, and their special sauce that goes over the po boys is good too. The only reason why I gave them 4/5 stars is because it was a little bit greasy especially the pork belly po boy (my friend didn't mind it). We also took a recommendation from one of the cashiers who said to get the Phil fries which comes with an egg on top of the fries :P.

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  Soft shell po boy, and truffle fries with egg on top

  Soft shell po boy, and truffle fries with egg on top

7/3/2015

Went to Big and Little's today, one of the places I've been meaning to try after watching Triple D. I thought it was okay, I've definitely had better but it wasn't the worst either. The service was a 5 star but the food fell short.

Fish and Chips - Fish batter was pretty oily (we got the white fish and not the mahi mahi). It was good but just oily.
Shrimp and Chip - Shrimp was not de-veined and tasted overcooked (chewy and tough).
Soft Shell Crab Po Boy - This was good but the soft shell crab was a bit small for the bread that they serve like someone else wrote in their review. The crab had good flavor though so I can't really complain too much.
Pork Belly Po Boy - This was the one thing that everyone has told me I "had to try". But it fell short, real short. I was not a fan of the sweet maple syrup flavor with the lightly spicy hot sauce that was added. It was too much sweet and not enough savory/salty. I wouldn't order this again if I come back.
Samurai Taco, Big and Little's Taco, Al Pastor Taco - These were all very good, I definitely think you have to order the tacos when you come here.
Kimchi Fries - The kimchi wasn't truly "authentic" (coming from a Korean) but it was pretty close. Personally I didn't like the sweet sauce that was added, I would definitely omit that next time around. The kimchi wasn't also spicy enough but that may just be me being picky.  

I know it seems like I'm being picky but I swear I wanted to love it, I really did. I do have to say though for the amount of people that were in the place, the bathrooms were very clean and well maintained and the service was great (we sat outside and a worker came out and made sure we were doing alright - twice!)

5/17/2015

This review is going to be short and simple. Excellent food at an awesome price. Make sure to visit more than once so you can try everything! The soft shell crab poboy is a must when visiting.

So stop reading this review and go now! Your taste buds will thank me later.

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  It's all so damn good!

  It's all so damn good!

8/3/2015

The only place in Chicago that I ate thrice.

5/17/2015

Delicious food! They were packed the whole time we were there, and still managed to bring out the food in a timely manner. Will definitely go back again.

Here's what we had:
Grilled shrimp taco
Japanese Beef short rib taco
Mexican beef short rib taco
Lamb gyro burrito
All delicious!

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  Grilled shrimp taco

  Grilled shrimp taco
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  Japanese beef short rib taco

  Japanese beef short rib taco
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  Lamb gyro burrito

  Lamb gyro burrito
• See all photos from Juliana W. for Big & Little's Restaurant

6/9/2015

I came here on a Friday right before the lunch rush. I got the softshell crab po'boy, which did not exactly live up to my expectations. There was not enough softshell crab to fill up the sandwich so I was mostly just eating bread. The Ahi tuna taco was delectable but the taco was a lot smaller than I expected. My boyfriend got a fish sandwich, which he enjoyed but did not like how it was overflowing with sauce. The workers are super friendly. One of them even remembered our names after we finished eating and asked us how we enjoyed the food.

9/28/2014

If I lived here, I'd eat here all the damn time.

After a hiatus from reviewing (I blame it on the exceptional summer weather we had in here in Seattle) I wanted to re-kindle my love for Chicago.

I didn't even know that BIG & little's was famous, really. But I guess they've been on TV.

They can't make up their mind on what they serve up best here, so they seem to offer everything: tacos, burritos, hamburgers, po' boys, and even hot dogs.

You'll notice most of the menu has a lot of seafood (!) I stood at the counter staring at the menu for an excruciatingly long time because I couldn't decide what would be light enough for my 2nd lunch--since my 3rd lunch was in an hour and a half.

I landed on two tacos: Maryland Blue Crab and the Ahi Tuna (poke-style).

I sat down and waited at a table, noticing a lot of families and singles. The tacos were brought to me and I think my I put my hand on my chest and went, 'Aaaaaaw' because they were so tiny and cute. These hard little tacos were made with a thick cornmeal crust, and had the flat bottom so they could fit the enormous amount of fish in each--like a double-stuffed ice cream sandwiches.

And they both tasted GREAT. The tuna was chopped small like a tartare and the blue crab was lightly dressed, which coupled with the thick crunch of the taco shell, was akin to the satisfaction of scoring the last tickets to your favorite show.

I'll be back in the area soon and will definitely try their other creative taco flavors.

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  Raw tuna and Maryland blue crab tacos

  Raw tuna and Maryland blue crab tacos

3/22/2015

We saw this place on tv, and must've earmarked it somewhere in the back of my brain. I remembered really wanting to try the raw ahi taco, the soft shell crab po boy & the  pork belly po boy. Well, when I finally got my chance to eat here, I TRIED ALL THREE!!! And I ate, and I saw that it was good!!!
One criticism only: GET A LIQUOR LICENSE, please!!!!

6/27/2015

I have been wanting to visit and went out my way to sneak a bite... the scene is "all me", the music is perfect (can I buy a CD?) And the menu had me drooling long before I arrived.

If you go to their website you'll find there's two locations with two different menus... I ordered the Shrimp Banh Mi with kimchi fries and the young one grabbed a burger cooked medium with egg and bacon on top with truffle fries....

INCREDIBLE! !!!!   Very much pleased and looking fwd to returning.

4/10/2015

A friend told me about B & L a few years ago, she saw it on TV (she lives out of state). I finally made it in one day after running errands nearby, and I am kicking myself for not going in sooner.

The guy working the counter was SO friendly and apologetic for the wait (which wash only 5 mins around 11:30am on a Sat). I ordered 3 different tacos all of which were excellent. The fries were delicious too.

This is pretty much the perfect Saturday lunch or a super casual weeknight dinner. the pride and care going into the food is very evident.

3/17/2015

First things first, Omar is dope. Right when you walk in the greeting you receive from him takes you straight to Hawaii. Makes you feel like you're his good friend and the only thing on his mind is making you enjoy your food.

Now to the food, ahi taco was bomb dot com. I find it difficult to find good seafood in Chicago but the ahi here was on point. The samurai taco (fried fish) was pretty good too.

On to the not so good. Surprisingly, the one thing that I didn't like here was the al pastor taco. Al pastor is my all time favorite Mexican marinade and I just didn't find this one satisfying. Meat wasn't tender and it was charred to the point where the flavor profile was cooked out of it. Soft shell crab po boy was good but like Omar told me, the crab to bread ratio was like 1:2, maybe 1:3.

All in all I still rate 4 stars because the customer service was so good and the environment just spewed happiness.

3/8/2015

I ordered the fish and chips (substituted fries for truffle fries) and my friend ordered the bbq bacon burger.  One of my fish pieces was pure amazing, perfectly crunchy and hot right out of the fryer.  The other two pieces were a little mushy, but still had great flavor.  The truffle fries substitute was nothing special.  It was just drizzled with some of the oil.  The bbq bacon burger was surprisingly good and was incredibly flavorful.  It seems like it should come with fries at least.  I would come back to try their tacos, which looked amazing.

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  Bbq bacon burger-yup, it was good

  Bbq bacon burger-yup, it was good
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  Fish and chips 8 bucks

  Fish and chips 8 bucks

6/23/2015

This one is going to be short and sweet. Here are the highlights:

Get In My Belly:
-Double Al Pastor Burger with porkbelly (how can you go wrong with pork belly?!?!)
-Ahi Poke Tuna Taco (Hubby didn't like it but I thought it was yummy but on the tiny side)

Pass on this:
-The soft shell po'boy was a disappointment. Wasn't worth all the hype. I was expecting a larger and more flavorful crab. Womp Womp!
-Regular fries. We actually ordered the truffle fries and ended up with regular fries that weren't all that great to begin with.

4/2/2015

I'm visiting from out of town and decided each day I'm going to take the L to a new neighborhood and try a different restaurant. Today I stopped in Belmont and walked by Big and Little. After reading the menu outside, I had to go in. There was a bit of a line, but it moved quickly. The guy running the register was super friendly too. I ordered the pork belly po boy and a samurai fish taco for around $10.

When the food arrived around, I dived into the pork belly first and forgot where I was for a solid 10 minutes. I'm not sure if it's because I skipped breakfast or because the sandwich was blowing my mind, but it was a positive experience. I almost didn't have room for the fish taco but rest assured, it got eaten as well. If I lived in Chicago, I would definitely come back to Big and Little.

3/7/2015

This place was packed on a Saturday afternoon at 5 pm. Smells good from outside. Waited in line for about 10 min, placed our order, and luckily a table opened up right after. Food came out in about 5 minutes. Tacos are a little on the small side, but very tasty. I had the ahi tuna poke and mango chutney pork. Perfect amount of food for a mid afternoon snack. Had a bite of my friend's foie gras hotdog--one bite was all I needed but it was dank. Other items the table enjoyed were the al pastor and the lamb gyro tacos. The restaurant is BYOB, the atmosphere is casual, and the staff are extremely nice. Not really a great place to bring bigger groups because the restaurant is tiny and the biggest table is a 4 top although you could probably push a couple together for 6. Overall great food and chill place just a stones throw from the Belmont stop.

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  Tuna poke and mango chutney pork

  Tuna poke and mango chutney pork

5/15/2015

I came to this place because I saw them on diners drive ins and dives! I ordered the pork belly poboy and the truffle fries! The pork belly was crispy salty goodness! BOMBDOTCOM. Cooked very well. The truffle fries were crispy on the side with a pinch of sea salt and truffle. Pretty good, I will definitely get the Phil's fries next time (truffle fries with egg on top)

The workers are very nice. One of workers I think his name was Hugo? I'm not sure.. Asked us how our meal was and my friend didn't really like what he ordered (soft shell crab poboy) so Hugo was nice enough to bring these samurai tacos for free to try. Pretty good.

Overall the place is nice, There's a lot of seating inside the restaurant and an outside seating area! Service was quick and easy.

I will be back to try other items on the menu! Highly recommended.

6/7/2015

I came here for the first time a few days after moving to Chicago, with a friend and her Mom who offered to pay for everything.  At first, like the nice, responsible young man I am, I ordered the cheapest tacos on the menu (which is saying a lot, the place is not expensive at all).  Everything was phenomenal.

The fried fish on the Big and Little signature taco was perfectly crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside.  I also had the samurai taco, and a side of the truffle fries.  The restaurant offers po boys, burgers, and other odd assortments as well, and while they are all very tasty options, the tacos are definitely the focal point.  

After finishing my cheap food, my friend's mom - a very lovely lady - gave me her ahi tuna taco because she was full.  The experience that followed was life changing.  The tuna was high grade and absolutely delicious; it blended perfectly with that sauce used in the taco, and was/is/forever will be one of my favorite things in Chicago.  Afterwards, the lovely lady of a mom offered to get us seconds, and I became somewhat of an opportunistic ass and let her buy me four more ahi tuna tacos.  Oh well.  I'm poor and paralyzed under a pile of crippling student loan debt.  It was worth it.

The restaurant is cute, but can get busy and is loud.  I'd recommend coming during non "rush" hours to avoid the crowds.  The place is also BYOB, which adds a fun lil spin to your meal.  It's counter-style ordering, so interactions with the staff are limited to ordering your food and picking it up from the kitchen staff after they call out your name.  However, it is very obvious that the staff all enjoy their job.  The order guy even calls me buddy, which I usually find patronizing and condescending, but I'm all about it.  

The only downside is that Guy Fieri ate there once :(

6/24/2015

I never thought I could say this to another cuisine other than food from My country, but after Eating here, i told my husband that taco should be the best food. We randomly ordered 3 tacos and they all tastes amazingly good.
The crab burger was the bomb. Next time i'll get 2 of them just to get the extra crab!

During lunch, it was very crowded and the wait is long, like 30 minutes. And the problem is they dont tell you how long. I guess that's something they can improve.

3/9/2015

Foie gra dog yummy . Brings back memories of Avondale Hot Dougs. Hot dog was good charcoals foie gra was amazing the bun would have been good toasted with garlic butter.

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  Smoked salmon and egg sandwich. Little salty on fish

  Smoked salmon and egg sandwich. Little salty on fish
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  Feed me waiting for round two

  Feed me waiting for round two
• See all photos from Susan S. for Big & Little's Restaurant

6/9/2015

Big & Littles was definitely a great surprise!

Location and Ambiance:
The location is average at best, but the ambiance is everything you would expect!!

Food:
Cheap, delicious, and unique! Really great food, highly recommend asking for recommendations depending on what kind of food you want.

Staff:
The staff was fantastic, and helped us pick some delicious food.

In summary, definitely give this a shot!

Thanks,
Connor Brady

9/23/2014

Business trips to world-class foodie cities require frequent excursions to the cool eating places (which are almost always outside of convention center boundaries and accessible only by gritty subway route).

So for me on this trip to the Windy City, that meant a visit to an upstart hipsterized burger and taco joint, Big and Little's. The two-restaurant mini-chain got its start from two guys (cue "Big" and "Little") who got the itch to open a place of their own.

Big and Little's does all styles of tacos, burgers, po-boys, sandwiches, burritos, fries and fountain drinks. The Belmont location is industrial-chic, complete with blackboard overhead menus, knotty wood, brick and day-glo paint with silhouettes of the place's namesakes. It's a couple of blocks west of the CTA Red Line (only gritty during the rush and Cubs games, I'll bet).

So enough of the trademark-Jay setup and on to the food! I went for three tacos (most styles $2.65). They're babies ... 3-4 bites at best ... but they pack major flavor punch and are bloody as hell (read: "messy" and "requiring the roll of paper towels provided on each table").

I did up the Samurai, Grilled Shrimp and Mango Chutney styles. The Samurai featured fried whitefish, jalapeños and all kinds of nuclear sauces underneath a spread of sesame seeds. The whitefish was golden-fried and a substantial protein to stand up to all the sauce-age. The Grilled Shrimp got a touch of cocktail sauce to sass things up. The shrimps were standards (no jumbos here) but deliciously seasoned. The Mango Chutney featured seared pork, cilantro, pickled red onion (they figured prominently on top) and the chutney, which I wish had played a more leading role. Nevertheless, the shredded pork was a delight, with some burnt ends for character.

The Truffle Fries ($2.25) got a nice, not overpowering, dash of truffle oil and salt. They may not be as crisp and long as some places' signature truffle fries, but they fearlessly faced up to my appetite and didn't blink.

Big and Little's was well worth my bumpy, rush-hour cattle call on the Red Line from the Loop. While I wish the tacos were bigger, that doesn't in any sense diminish my wonderful experience and desire to return soon.

Rock on, y'all. This Florida boy's happy.

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• See all photos from Jay M. for Big & Little's Restaurant